Day: January 16, 2024

Planning ahead Living in rural and remote Australia can sometimes mean that health services may be harder to access than in the city. Knowing what health services are in your area, and the online supports available to you will help you prepare for when you need them. Living in a regional or remote area means you need to plan for your future health needs, even if you are in good health now. Check your health insurance and ambulance cover, so that you can be confident they meet your current and future health needs. Health clinics and doctors It is important

What is rubella? Rubella is a contagious illness caused by a virus. Rubella is also known as ‘German measles’, but it is different to the illness caused by the measles virus. Some people with rubella do not have symptoms at all. For others, infection can cause a mild illness with fever and a red rash. Rubella is usually not dangerous. But babies, of people who catch rubella during pregnancy, can be seriously affected. Rubella is now rare in Australia thanks to childhood vaccination programs. Outbreaks can still occur among people who are not immune. This page focuses on advice for adults and

Workplace health   What is ‘workplace health’? Australians spend, on average, about one-third of their time working. Having a safe and healthy workspace is an important part of looking after your physical and mental health. Learning how to work safely and maintain a proper work environment can help prevent injury and illness, help you stay healthy and improve your wellbeing. How can your workplace affect your mental health? An unhealthy workplace can cause stress. Sometimes a little bit of stress can be a good thing, since it can push you to complete tasks and help you to reach your work goals.

What are antenatal tests? Antenatal tests are an important part of your pregnancy care and help make sure that you and your baby are healthy throughout your pregnancy. Different types of tests, including blood tests, urine tests and ultrasound scans are used to check different aspects of your own and your baby’s health. Some tests are recommended for everyone, while others are offered only to women at a greater risk of a particular condition. Some antenatal tests are screening tests. This means that they are designed to assess the chance of you or your baby having a particular condition. If you receive a high-risk result

What is rotavirus infection? Rotavirus is a very contagious viral illness. It can cause severe and life-threatening gastroenteritis. Rotavirus infection is very common children under 3 years old. What are the symptoms of rotavirus infection? Rotavirus symptoms normally start between 1 and 3 days after infection with the virus. The illness usually begins suddenly with vomiting, followed by diarrhoea. About 1 in 3 people with rotavirus also have a fever in the first few days of the illness. Symptoms usually last from a few days to a week. Some babies, especially those aged under 3 months, may not show any symptoms. What causes rotavirus infection?

What is a rotator cuff injury? The rotator cuff is the group of four muscles and their tendons at your shoulder joint. They form a cuff around the head of the upper arm bone (the humerus). They keep the shoulder stable and help it move. Rotator cuff injury can range from simple inflammation to tears of the muscles or tendons. It is also called rotator cuff syndrome, rotator cuff tear, rotator cuff tendonitis, and shoulder impingement syndrome. What are the symptoms of a rotator cuff injury? Symptoms of rotator cuff injury can include: pain and tenderness in the shoulder weakness of the shoulder

What is Ross River virus infection? Ross River virus infection (also known as Ross River fever and epidemic polyarthritis) is caused by an alphavirus. It is spread to humans by infected mosquitoes. Other diseases caused by alphaviruses are: Barmah Forest virus chikungunya virus Ross River virus infection is the most common mosquito-borne disease in Australia. It’s also found in: Papua New Guinea parts of Indonesia the western Pacific Islands In Australia, it’s more common in the tropical areas of: Queensland the Northern Territory Western Australia Ross River virus infection is more common: between February and May after heavy rainfall after high

What is rosacea? Rosacea is a common skin condition of the face. There are different types of rosacea: erythematotelangiectatic rosacea — broken blood vessels on your nose, cheeks or chin papulopustular rosacea — involves papules and pustules (bumps) on your face swollen rosacea — the skin on your nose, cheeks, forehead and chin may look like ‘orange peel’ ocular rosacea — involves your eyes The cheeks, chin and nose are most often affected. Rosacea is more common in females aged between 30 to 50 years. Rosacea isn’t contagious (you can’t catch it). There is some evidence that it may be

What is a root canal treatment? A root canal treatment is a dental procedure that removes the infected dental pulp inside the middle of a tooth. It’s also called endodontic treatment. Each tooth has a canal system which goes from the crown (top surface) to the root. A tooth has up to 4 canals containing dental pulp. The dental pulp is made up of connective tissue, nerves and blood vessels. When you have a root canal treatment, damaged or infected dental pulp is removed from inside your tooth. After the pulp is removed, the space is cleaned and disinfected, filled and sealed. The

  This 5-minute health questionnaire will assess your risk for: heart disease type 2 diabetes kidney disease We will also give you practical tips on how to lower your risks. This tool is NOT intended for people who are under 18 years or for women who are pregnant.

Tinnitus What is tinnitus? If you have ringing or other strange noises in your ears, you might have tinnitus. People with tinnitus hear sounds that aren’t actually being made around them. There are 2 main types of tinnitus: Subjective tinnitus — which only you can hear. This is the most common type. Objective tinnitus — which your doctor can also hear when they examine you. Objective tinnitus can be caused by noise coming from: a blood vessel in your head or neck your temporomandibular joint (the joint that connects the jaw to your skull) Up to 1 in 5 people have tinnitus at some

What is a rigid cystoscopy? A rigid cystoscopy is a procedure to check for any problems in your bladder using a rigid telescope (cystoscope). Sometimes certain problems with your bladder and urinary tubes can be treated at the same time. What are the benefits of a rigid cystoscopy? You may be getting pain, blood in your urine or repeated infections, or you may have an irritable bladder (a sudden and uncontrolled urge to pass urine). If your doctor does see a problem during the cystoscopy, they may perform a biopsy (removing small pieces of tissue), or they may be able

What is a rigid cystoscopy? A rigid cystoscopy is a procedure to check for any problems in your bladder using a rigid telescope (cystoscope). Sometimes certain problems with your bladder and urinary tubes can be treated at the same time. What are the benefits of a rigid cystoscopy? You may be getting pain, blood in your urine or repeated infections, or you may have an irritable bladder (a sudden and uncontrolled urge to pass urine). If your doctor does see a problem during the cystoscopy, they may perform a biopsy (removing small pieces of tissue), or they may be able

What are my healthcare rights? Healthcare rights make sure all people in Australia can get safe, high-quality healthcare. This includes patients and carers. Australians’ healthcare rights are set out in the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights. These rights apply to any healthcare you receive. The healthcare can be given anywhere in Australia. This includes care in: public and private hospitals general practice the community The 7 basic healthcare rights The 7 basic healthcare rights are: access safety respect partnership information privacy give feedback Access You have a right to get the healthcare services that you need. You have a right to any

What is rickets? Rickets is a preventable bone disease that causes the bones to be soft and weak. It occurs in children, and occasionally teenagers, but not adults. If a child has soft bones, the bones can bend slightly into an abnormal shape. What are the symptoms of rickets? Children with rickets might: be slow to have the front fontanelle (the soft part at the top of a baby’s head) close be slow to grow be slow to crawl and walk have teeth that grow late and have poor quality enamel have bow legs, knock knees or legs that aren’t straight have